Caitríona Perry bid farewell to RTÉ News at the beginning of the summer and Eileen Dunne stepped down from her role in 2022 in an emotional sign-off.
While there was a rotating schedule of co-anchors over the last few months, there was not a permanent replacement for the iconic presenters.
Now the national broadcaster has confirmed who will be hosting The Six One and Nine O’Clock News.
Journalist Sharon Tobin will join David McCullagh as the new presenting team for RTÉ’s flagship Six One News from today, Monday 4th September.
Meanwhile, broadcaster Ray Kennedy will present the RTÉ Nine O’Clock News on rotation with Sharon Ní Bheolain.
In 2008, Sharon Tobin joined RTÉ News, as a journalist and TV reporter. Sharon has been a regular news presenter in studio and for outside broadcasts in Ireland and abroad.
Ray Kennedy has worked with RTÉ since 2008 as a journalist and newscaster. He has reported extensively from Africa on the humanitarian crisis throughout 2012 and 2013.
Sharon Tobin said: “I’m thrilled to be joining David and the team as the permanent presenter on Six One News. We’re facing huge issues in this country, people struggling with the cost of living and the most basic of needs, finding affordable housing. All this ahead of a much-anticipated general election campaign.
“I’m excited to be part of the team that will continue to bring accurate, trustworthy news to our audience, and ask the questions that people want answers to.”
While Ray Kennedy said: “I am honoured to be taking up the role of presenter on the RTÉ Nine O’Clock News, a bulletin I grew up watching and always hoped one day to anchor. I will bring my 30-plus years in journalism with me to the coveted seat and do my level best to bring the news from Ireland and around the globe into people’s living rooms around the country and beyond if they are happy to invite me in.
“I am filling massive shoes in taking up a role vacated by the wonderful Eileen Dunne and hope I can be equal to the task. I’m very excited the role also involves presenting special event programmes on RTÉ One as they occur and with my extraordinary colleagues in RTÉ News and Current Affairs, we will now move forward with doing what we do best and deliver for our audience.”
